But Goldenballs comes back, lines up a third as if he is going to smash it and, once his opponent has taken a step to his right, wrongfoots him with a gentle toe-poke into the other corner, the ball sticking out its tongue as it goes.

This is a side, he has told his players, who can be brilliant in thrilling, sporadic flashes, but who were only a miscued Nicklas Bendtner toe-poke from being eliminated against Arsenal in the last 16.

The chance remains thanks to two fortuitous goals, the left-back Rachel Unitt's 78th-minute cross that dropped over the hapless goalkeeper Ainhoa Tirapu into the net and White's 12 yard toe-poke which was hit more in hope than expectation.

After Dortmund rallied, Arsenal had a great chance to double their lead as Aaron Ramsey's toe-poke put Gervinho clear and although the Ivory Coast forward rounded the goalkeeper, he had allowed covering defender Mats Hummels enough time to knock the ball behind.

Ba now has three from three starts and his diving header against Liverpool was superb, a thrilling blend of power and accuracy, although not as superb as Scott Parker's goal, the midfielder's opener a beautiful toe-poke that curved tantalisingly out of Pepe Reina's reach.